Budget 2026 date: From income tax cuts to more, here’s when Nirmala Sitharaman will announce key measures
The pre-opening market session will run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:08 a.m., with regular trading hours from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier said that the Budget session of Parliament will begin on January 28, 2026, adding that the Speaker has approved calling both Houses for session.
ALSO READ: Budget 2026 may hold next key for India to move forward in ‘Drill, baby Drill’ era
The Budget session, the first parliamentary session held every year, begins with the President’s address to the joint session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Since Budget 2017-18, India has presented the Union Budget on February 1 instead of the long-standing tradition of presenting it on February 28.
ALSO READ: Budget 2026: India’s transition of power depends on resolving crisis complained by millions
While presenting the budget on Sunday will be a first since 2000, weekend budgets are not without precedent. Budget 2025 presented by Nirmala Sitharaman was tabled on Saturday, as was Budget 2015 presented by then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 28, 2015.
A notable earlier example was the Budget 1999-2000 presented by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on 27 February 1999. That year there was a significant shift from the traditional 5pm offering to 11am, a break with colonial-era practice.
